Slik Astra ECH-630 Astro Tracker

Slik Astra ECH-630 Astro Tracker

The Slik ECH-630 Astro-Tracker is a compact, motorized tracking motor for astrophotography, with ready-made tracking settings for stars, the moon and time-lapse photography. Compared to most models, the Slik ECH-630 is very compact and weighs only 630g, taking up little space in your camera bag.

What does this do? The device is mounted between the tripod and the camera, for example with two ball heads so that you can aim the Astro Tracker at the North Star and then you can freely compose the image with the camera. For example, shooting the Milky Way or using a longer lens to filter out stars.

The tracker prevents the movement of the stars from being captured and allows you to take much longer exposures! This works in the same way as much more expensive telescope tripods and works very well for photography.

The Slik ECH-630 Astro Tracker can support equipment weighing up to 5kg, but the load capacity is affected by the angle of the Astro Tracker. When the tracker is mounted on the ground, a load of 5kg can be placed on it, if the tracker is mounted on its side, a maximum load of 2kg can be placed on it.

The Slik ECH-630 operates on four AA batteries or rechargeable batteries. The operating time is approx. 20 hours. The tracker base also has a micro USB connection, which allows you to connect a power bank to the device for additional power.

Aligning the Slik ECH-630 tracking head
The Slik ECH-630 tracking head / tracking stand has two aiming holes that allow you to align the tracking head with the North Star. The North Star is found when you look for a constellation in the sky and imagine a straight line through its two brightest stars. Attach the tracking head to the stand so that the aiming holes are at the top. The larger hole serves as the initial alignment, which is used to locate the North Star. When the North Star is visible in the center of the larger hole, you can align more precisely using the smaller hole.

Using, for example, the separately purchased Slik SMH-250 tilt head, adjust the ECH-630 so that the North Star is visible in the center of the small hole. For effective tracking, it is important that the alignment is done as accurately as possible. After attaching the camera, it is worth checking the alignment again.

When photographing the night sky, urban light pollution is a major hindrance. We recommend leaving the city and possibly using special filters made for night photography to reduce the problems caused by light pollution.

Specifications:

• Fastener:
  • Top end: 1/4"
  • Bottom (stand): 3/8" (1/4" adapter included)
• Maximum load:
  • In star mode: 5 kg
  • Time-Lapse mode: 5 kg
  • with turntable and base horizontal: 5 kg
  • with the turntable and base perpendicular to the ground: 2kg
• Power supply:
  • 4 AA batteries (Ni-MH batteries can also be used)
  • DC 5V (micro-USB in combination with AA batteries)
• Battery life: approx. 20 h (with alkaline batteries at 20°C)
• Operating temperature: -10°C - +40°C
• Operating mechanism: worm screw, with stepper motor
• Star Mode: Star, Moon, Sun & Starscape ((0.5x speed))
• Northern / Southern Hemisphere setting
• Time-Lapse mode: forward and backward, continuous rotation
• Rotation: 5° - 360° (5° steps) or continuous
• Spin speed: 48, 24, 12, 6, 3, 1.5h, 30min & 15min per spin
• Dimensions (L x W x H): 84 x 86 x 65 mm (excluding protruding parts)
• Weight: 630g (without batteries)